


A Glitch in Reality

by LuWrites



Category: Black Widow (Comics), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 40s alternate reality, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst and Feels, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, BAMF Natasha Romanov, Canon Divergence - Captain America: The First Avenger, Canon Temporary Character Death, Depictions of illnesses, Eventual Romance, Languages and Linguistics, Memory Loss, Natasha Romanov Is Not A Robot, Natasha Romanov Needs a Hug, Pre-Captain America: The First Avenger, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Steve Rogers, Slow Burn, WWII
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:01:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28486518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuWrites/pseuds/LuWrites
Summary: "You know, I tried. When I had the gauntlet, the stones... I really tried to bring her back."Bruce's attempt to bring Natasha back with everyone else when he snapped his fingers fails. Or so they think. He can't bring her back to their reality, period... But that doesn't mean she can't come back at all.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov & Howard Stark, Peggy Carter & Howard Stark, Peggy Carter & Natasha Romanov, Peggy Carter & Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov, Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov
Comments: 18
Kudos: 38





	1. Prologue: “Can’t” seem very definitive, don’t you think?

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo! It's me again with another time travel story.
> 
> I probably should try to focus only on my other work buuuuut this idea has been eating my brain for weeks now, so I decided to give it a shot!  
> This is me basically playing with the idea of "what if Bruce's attempt to bring Nat back actually worked and they just don't know it cause his action branched the timeline and sent her somewhere else?"  
> I mean, the stones put together can do some powerful incredible things - at least in the comics - so not far fetched to think they could pull this off. Or so my forever in denial mind likes to think.
> 
> They did my baby Natasha dirty, she deserved better and so I'll try to do her justice once again! This time throwing her all the way back to the 40s.  
> Endgame events still happened, nothing changed, and the actual MCU timeline it's intact too. This story will be a branched new reality that will diverge from canon pre-CATFA.
> 
> That said...  
> Disclaimer: These characters belong to Marvel&Disney. I'm only borrowing them for some fun times. 
> 
> P.S: English it's not my first language, therefore there will be some gramar mistakes and I'm very sorry for that. This work its also unbetaed.
> 
> Hope you guys like it ;D

– Do we know if she had a family? - Tony asked after the silence between became unbearable.

– Yeah. Us. - Steve answered, feeling a tear on his cheek.

– What? - Thor asked in indignation.

– Huh? - Tony turned to the demigod confused.

– What are you doing?!

– I just asked him a question.

– Yeah, no, you’re acting like she’s dead. - Thor said, his feelings boiling up. He was unable to copy with another loss. - Why are we acting like she’s dead?! We have the stones, right? As long as we have the stones, Cap we can bring her back... Isn’t that right? - He looked briefly at Steve for support, but the soldier kept his gaze down not feeling like getting in any sort of conversation. - So, stop this shit. We’re the Avengers. Get it together!

– Can’t get her back. - Clint finally told them.

– What’s he…? What? - Thor looked at the archer in a mix of confusion and frustration. He didn't understand why they were all acting so calm and okay with the situation, he expected some sort of gut-wrench reaction from them.

– It can’t be undone. It can’t.

– Look, I’m sorry, no offense... - Thor scoffed, really done with their behavior. - But you’re a very earthly being, okay? And we’re talking about space magic. And “can’t” seem very definitive, don’t you think?

– Yeah, look. I know that I’m way outside my pay grade here but she still isn’t here, is she? 

– No, that’s my point.

– It can’t be undone. Or that’s at least what the red, floating guy had to say. Maybe you wanna go talk to him, okay? Go grab your hammer and you go fly and you talk to him! - Clint snapped, finally showing some emotion over their loss. - It was supposed to be me... She sacrificed her life for that goddamn stone. She bet her life on it.

– She’s not coming back. - Bruce stated with finality after throwing a bench into the lake. We have to make it worth it. We have to.

~~

– Lighting won’t help you pal. - Bruce interjected another one of Thor's emotional breakdowns. Even if Thor was in is ultimate god-like shape, Bruce knew that task was still supposed to be his, no one else's. - It’s gotta be me... You saw what those stones did to Thanos. They almost killed him. None of you could survive.

– How do we know you will? - Steve asked warily of Bruce's focused look at the gauntlet.

– We don’t. But the radiation it’s mostly gamma. It’s like… I was made for this. - Bruce approached the gauntlet and picked it up, looking at it intensely. He could do it. He would bring everyone back... He would bring Natasha back.

– Good to go, yeah? - Tony asked.

– Let’s do it.

– Okay, remember, everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago you’re just bringing them back to now, today. Don’t change anything from the last five years. - Tony said, still afraid of something going wrong and losing what he had now.

– Got it. Everybody comes home. - _"Nat comes back home."_ he thought to himself.

After putting the gauntlet and struggling with its power, feeling his body being burned inside out, Bruce got a hold of himself and snapped his fingers. Thanos snap was undone, at long last.

In a desperate attempt, right before passing out, Bruce begged to the stones and to any divine force listening to him. _"_ _Please,_ _give us Natasha back. Please, please... Come back home, Tasha"_

~~

_Orange, orange, orange, orange._

_That’s all Natasha ever saw now. Endless orange light engulfing the compound. And ever since she jumped that cliff, all she could do was aimlessly walk around the grounds of what was supposed to be the Avengers Facility._ _However, that place was off. Everything was off. Natasha was alone in a soundless, frozen in time base. No agents running around, no Avengers, no family. That emptiness felt wrong to her. S_ _he could do nothing but walk around, surrounded by that orange glow, and wonder if her sacrifice had worked. If the team had fixed things and brought everyone back. If she had not died in vain._ _If her family were happy and whole again. Natasha could do nothing but hope for the best._

_Somewhere in the back of her mind, Natasha knew she was stucked in the soul stone, like an imprisoned doll. But she preferred not to think about that, things were hard enough as it is, there was no need to think about how she wasn’t even allowed the blissful, unconsciousness mercy that was death. If getting everyone back meant sacrificing herself and be thrown into an empty, frozen state, then so be it._

_Natasha was once again by the lake, reliving memories of the good old days, when she felt it. For the first time since she ended up there, she finally **felt** something. She had no idea how long had passed, time and space working differently where she was, but it felt like an eternity since she became just an specter. Then she felt it. I_ _t started as a buzzing sound far away, too low for her to notice at first, and then she felt a gush of wind hit her face. There was no sound or wind in her dollhouse, **never.** The buzzing sound grew louder, the wind stronger, the lake water started rippling and the orange glow intensified._

 _“What is happening?” she thought standing up from the bench and looking around scared. Whatever was happening felt even more wrong than being there. It felt unnatural. Natasha squinted her eyes when the orange light became too much and stepped back, the lake was now swirling around violently and she could feel the water drops hit her face._ _Then she felt it. A painful pull in her mid-section. As if claws were reaching out into her and pulling her insides out._

 _The pain intensified fast and she fell on her knees, curling in on herself and holding her middle in an attempt to make the pain stop. She felt like she was been torn apart by invisible claws, the pain spreading to the rest of her body and the orange glow piercing through her eyes painfully._ _The buzzing sound had turned into cracking sounds, as if walls were breaking down, and the windstorm had almost turned into a tornado. In a second, before Natasha could make sense of anything, her dollhouse caved in on itself; she felt her body be ripped apart while the orange light exploded in her mind like a grenade turning her brain to mush._

_And the last thing Natasha felt was her body hitting the water and consuming her in a cold darkness. A whisper echoing in her mind: **C** **ome back home, Tasha.**_


	2. The Girl in the Alley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyia õ/
> 
> Took me a bit but here it is the new chapter!!  
> Aside from life problems getting in the way of things, I took longer than expected cause I kept rewriting it not liking the results. I'm still not sure about this final result but I'll let you guys be the judge of that :)
> 
> The pace of the story its going to start slow, I want to detail things as best as possible, explaining and exploring everything before the events of CATFA roll up. Especially regarding our dear Natasha in this new reality. But don't worry it won't take all that long for the story to starting crossing paths w the movie ;)
> 
> Anyways... See you at the end notes.  
> Hope you guys enjoy the chapter!!
> 
> P.S. English its not my first language so I'm sorry for all grammar mistakes. I'm trying my best!  
> And at the beginning there's some light descriptions of sickness and feeling bad, in case you get trigerred by this sort of thing, you're warned.

**NEW YORK, 1940**

Steve Rogers smiled bidding goodbye to the last costumer, then he closed the door and turned the sign from ‘open’ to ‘closed’ so no one would come barging in anymore; he sighed relieved with his work almost done. That chilly Thursday had been one of the busiest at the art supply store ever since Christmas last year and Steve was feeling tired to the bone. His body was sore all over, his back and legs aching from standing up and walking around too much, he already had two minor asthma attacks and his head felt as if was about to split itself open. Oh and of course, his body was trembling something fierce thanks to the lack of proper food throughout the day to keep his blood pressure and sugar stabilized which also made his stomach hurt bad.

Steve still has an hour or so left at the store though, he needed to close the cash register, check out items that ended and whatnot; he could really use something sweet to chew on right about now before his body decided to shut down. Mr. Carson had to spend the day out seeing to the restocking of the store since it would be a busy couple of weeks – thanks to a last minute art event at the beginning of the month thrown by some rich businessman – or else he wouldn’t have left Steve alone to run the store in a hectic day. Mr. Carson was very considerate of Steve’s health limitations compared to his previous bosses.

Steve knew he was lucky to have such a good job in a nice neighborhood of New York with even nicer payment – considering the tense state of things these days in the country – and he was more so grateful for Buck’s little help to find him this job. However, Steve could not help the ever present feelings of bitter disappointment and sadness over his failing body for not allowing him to do more… _To be more._

\- For God’s sake! – Steve exclaimed when his trembling hands dropped a case of paintbrushes, the loud incessant pounding on the front door startling him almost into an asthma attack. His weak heart starting a series of quick palpitations due the scare, the last thing his body needed right now on top of everything else really.

He had half a mind to not answer it – there was a clear closed sign for a reason – but his Ma taught him better and she certainly was already cursing him beyond the grave for not taking good care of himself the whole day, he didn’t need to add lack of mannerisms to the list. Steve stepped over the scattered paintbrushes and turned the aisle corner to walk to the front door; as soon as he saw the frightened look on the young woman’s face, he silently thanked his Ma for her lessons.

Steve instantly recognized the young woman as the new waitress from the small cafe a few buildings down the street, Dana, if he wasn’t mistaken; Buck had been ogling and flirting with her a lot these past weeks.

\- Uh… Hi. – Steve greeted her when he opened the door, a gush of cold wind hitting his face and making him shiver.

\- Please, you have to help. No one else will…She needs help. – She said right away, looking in the direction of the cafe with worry. – Please, you have to help her. Please.

\- Wh-What? – Steve looked at her in confusion, his starved body taking a minute to understand what she said. – Help who? What? Who… Who needs help?

\- I don’t… No one wants to help and she needs help. Please. – She begged him, tears glistening in her eyes.

-Uh… O-okay. Let me just… – He agreed without more questions, noticing how the young waitress almost cried in relief, and walked quickly to the countertop to grab the store keys. When he turned back, she was once again looking in the direction of the cafe. – Where is she?

\- Coat. – Was what she said instead, confusing him. – We need to bring a coat.

\- Oh. Right. – Steve nodded and picked up his heavy winter coat from the rack.

With summer around the corner, the days were getting warmer and stuffy, but that day had greeted them with an unusually cold weather in the morning that only got colder throughout the day and night; so he had to put his heaviest coat out to avoid affecting his illnesses nay further. After locking the door, Steve followed the young woman in the direction of the cafe, the two of them walking as fast as possible between the flow of people at that time of evening leaving the buildings around, rushing out from their jobs to get home soon.

\- I just went out to take the trash when I heard this groaning… It sounded like someone in pain. – She started rambling nervously. – I know better than to look in an empty alley this time of night but it sounded like a woman.

Steve just nodded, he would have done the same in her place; the two of them passed over the small cafe front and entered the poor illuminated alley beside it.

\- I had to check. That is where I found her… - the young waitress said pointing to the end of the alley where it was even more darker. – Right by the dumpster of Dante’s Restaurant.

\- She’s still there?

\- Yes! – She exclaimed with a look of indignation. – I told my boss, the servers at from my place and the restaurant but nobody wanted to help! Even Wallace, the gentle cook, refused to.

\- Why didn’t you call an ambulance? – Steve asked looking over her shoulder when they stopped close to the smelly dumpster. He could only make out two small feet peeking out from the other side of it, no movement or noises to indicate the person was still alive.

\- She is not from around here. – The waitress answered letting her own foreign accent lace her words, looking pointedly at Steve.

\- Oh. – He understood at once; as a child of poor Irish immigrants, he knew well about some of the struggles foreign people suffered in this country. Specially now with tensions from the war all over.

\- * _Sweetheart?_ – Dana called out in a language he didn’t recognize.

Steve did not want to spook the other girl so he stood still on his spot while Dana got closer, then crouched down in front of her and kept speaking on that foreign language in a soothing tone. Steve didn’t know much about languages, the only other language he learnt as a kid was _Gaeilge_ , but he had been around enough European immigrants to guess that she was speaking a language from either the central or eastern part.

\- She is very weak. – She said looking up at him and then gestured to the coat in his hands. Steve stepped closer to give her the coat but was fast to turn his back to them when he noticed only an apron covering the other girl’s body. – You can turn now.

When Steve turned again he had to squint his eyes to see the girl better, the poor lighting worsening his eyesight. Thankfully, his coat covered well her nude body from view and the cold weather but he still made sure to keep his eyes up focused on her face; at first he couldn’t see her face, she had her head tilted down with her long hair covering almost all her face, the only things Steve could glimpse was her unhealthily pale complexion and the little freckles scattering from her nose to her cheeks.

\- Did she tell you how she was attacked? – Steve asked when he noticed a purple bruise peeking out from the collar of his coat, just on the side of her neck. – Is she too hurt?

\- I don’t speak Russian. – Dana answered pushing the girl’s hair aside, unsuccessfully trying to tuck it behind her left ear, then she looked up at him again to clarify. – I am from Austria but I speak Ukrainian too. She seems to understand both languages but only answers me in her native one.

\- Okay. Hmm… We need to get her out of here. – Steve said crouching down beside them, even though he figured it would be no use he tried to talk to her. – Hi. I’m Steve. I’m goin’ to…

His words died as soon as the girl’s head shot up, intense eyes locking into his, the most beautiful face he ever saw finally coming into view. For a moment, Steve thought he was seeing a look of recognition in her eyes but then she frowned in confusion and looked at Dana. Now able to fully see her face, Steve confirmed how those little freckles were all over her cheeks and some even on her forehead and chin, even more noticeable due how sickly pale she was but cute all the same. Steve was color blind so he couldn't be sure of the true color her eyes but he knew right away it was a light color, somethings beautiful he was sure; her hair though, the unnatural heavy darkness of the color let him know that wasn't the right color of it and Steve wished he could see her hair.

\- * _He looks familiar. Why? Who is he?_ – she looked again at Steve who was frozen, still in awe with her, his light blue eyes making something in her blank mind twist. – _So familiar._

\- _It’s fine, sweetheart, he’s here to help. Let’s get you up, alright?_

Steve startled back when he saw Dana starting help the other girl to stand, he was fast to help as well by gently putting one hand on her back while the other got a hold of her hand. The touch sparkling again something on her blank mind and she looked at the blonde in awe.

\- _I know you. How do I know you? –_ Steve looked at her wishing he could understand what she was saying, especially with the way she was so intensely looking at him. – _Why I can’t remember?_

\- Its goin’ be alright. – He reassured her. If depended on him, Steve was going to make everything possible to help and keep her safe. – I’m goin’ to help you.

\- Steve. – She said in a low voice, as if testing the name for the first time. He exchanged a look with Dana who smiled softly.

\- Yes, I’m Steve. Can you understand me? – He asked eagerly, not noticing the way she angled her whole body to his, leaning into his personal space.

\- Steve. – She said again and smiled. – _I know you… Your eyes, I remember them._

\- I think she does. – Dana commented thoughtful.

\- What’s your name?

\- _Can’t remember… Why can’t.. I…? –_ Feeling dizzy with all the mental straining from trying to recollect her memories, she closed her eyes and allowed her body to fully lean into Steve’s.

\- Whoa, whoa. – Steve staggered back with the sudden weight pushing into his weakened body but he was able to get a hold of the girl, worriedly looking at her. - I got you. It’s fine.

\- Do you know any place we could take her? A clinic that won’t mind... Whatever this is? That won't ask questions? – Dana asked helping him keep the girl standing.

\- There’s someone in my building. She’s a nurse, she can help. – He reached a hand to touch her face to try making her open her eyes, to stay awake and alert. – Hey, you heard me ? We goin’ to get you help. You’ll be alright.

The girl opened her eyes and gasped, Steve’s face so close that she could see all details as clear as day, his blonde hair messy and that soft voice she was sure she heard before; for the first time since she woke in that dark strange place images started flooding her mind. Blurry images she couldn’t grasp long enough to remember, to fix on the walls of her brain, but she was sure all of them contained that face in front of her.

**_“Agent Romanoff. Captain Rogers._ **

**_Ma’am.”_ **

**_“Stop lying!_ **

**_I only act like I know everything, Rogers.”_ **

**_“Steve doesn’t like that kind of talk._ **

**_You know what, Romanoff?”_ **

**_“You sure about this?_ **

**_Yeah. It’s gonna be fun.”_ **

**_“Who do you want me to be?_ **

**_How about a friend?”_ **

**_“I think we both need to get a life._ **

**_You first.”_ **

**_“Staying together it’s more important than how we stay together._ **

**_What are we giving up to do it?”_ **

**_“Would you trust me to do it?_ **

**_I would now… And I’m always honest.”_ **

\- Steve. – She whispered, a small smile gracing her lips and Steve couldn’t help his own smile. She was even more beautiful smiling and despite the grave situation, he itched to drawn her delicate features.

\- I’m here. I got you. – That was the last thing she heard before darkness overtook her once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what's your thoughts?!?!?!? Pls leave kudos and comments to let me know if you like it or not, your opinions are very important :D
> 
> *Sentences in italic are to signal characters (Dana&Nat) speaking both in Ukrainian and Russian, respectively*
> 
> As you could see this chapter was mainly to explore a bit of our dear skinny Steve and then throw lost 'memoryless' Nat onto his lap. Nothing to major or any real explanations, just to situate you guys a bit of where I'm going with the story ;) It will be a slow burn thingy, so explanations will come bit by bit, I'll let you know now in case it's not your vibe!
> 
> Also, since things go down in the 40's I'll try my best to explore about culture and whatnot of that period in NY, USA.  
> But also I'll try explore a bit of foreign non-american aspects, culture and languages and etc cause I really dig that shit, my degree dealt a lot with that kinda thing - specifically languages/linguistics - so i already have a little knowledge.  
> And ofc... Its good to note that I won't describe just the asthma and lack of weight from Steve's poor health, I will really show case his multitude of illnesses cause my poor boy had it rough and it was his weak body that gave him his strong mind, so I'll explore that. 
> 
> I'm also going to thrown in plenty of comics details/canon/events here. So to start, for those of you who haven't read, in the comics Steve starts trying to enlist in the army around 40, not almost 45 like in MCU version, so that's the time I'm picking. If I'm not mistaken he used to work in a dinner or something, i don't really remember but I'm going to change and put him w art stuff cause artist!Steve is my religion and I'll be explore more on that for sure ;)
> 
> I think that's all I've to say for now... Hope you guys liked the chapter, send kudos and comments to let me know :D
> 
> Till next time & stay safe ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo what are your thoughts on this?!?!?!  
> Leave comments and kudos to let me know if you liked it :D
> 
> I put on the lake scene because I still can't get over how unbothered they all seemed over Nat's death. Even Clint just snapped a little for a sec and that was it, they then moved on pretty nicely. Fucking outrageous. The only one who showed genuine distress and the expected reaction was Thor, one of the few things they did right for him.  
> Anyways... 
> 
> Hope you guys like it õ/


End file.
